Pliers



Aug. 5, 1930. w. A. PETERSON 1,772,224

PLIERS Filed y m'. 1929 Invenor Attorney Ptented Aug. 5, 1930 WILLIAM A.PETERSON, OF JASPER, MINNEOTA PLIERS Application filed May 27, 1929.

This invention relates to an improved tool of the compound variety whichis characterized by structural features so constructed and associated asto permit it to serve as ordinary pliers and to also serve as a plierwrench.

In carrying the invention into practice, I providea structure Which ingeneral appearance,.`resembles an ordinary pair of phers, wherein noveldevices are attached thereto 1 to provide means for multiplying theleverage of the plier handles and for also locking the handles to etherto relieve the hand of the operator o undue resisting pressure.

- It follows that one of the principal features of the invention is theincorporation in a novel pler of a third lever which cooper-` ates withthe handle levers of the plier in a manner to provide for increasedleverage and locking ofthe handle levers together.

An equally important feature is the novel pivot joint construction whichcomprehends the provision of intersecting longitudnally elongated slotsat the crossed juncture of the jaws, said slots being especiallyconstructed 2; to accommodate an adjustable pivot pin, maintained inoperative position through the medium of spring means.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the com- 30 plete tool.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the 1ntersecting portion of the jawsor main handle forming levers.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspect ve view showing the operation'of thelockng means as well as the supplemental or third lever. a

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the slidable retainer.

Referring now to the drawings by reference numerals, it will be seenthat 5 designates one of the main levers which is provided at its outerend with a jaw of ordinary shape as indicated at 6, for cooperation withthe complemental jaw 7 of the second main lever 8. This lever 8 iscomparatively short in length to permit it to become nested into thecurved end portion 9 of the first lever 5, as shown for example inFigure 3. This curved e d terminates in a fiat extremity 10,

Serial No. 366,352. v

functioning as an ear and pivoted to this ear as at 11 is the third orsupplemental lever 12. This lever 12 has a curved section as at 13 andis channel shaped in cross section and provi'ded adjacent its free endwith a stop 14.

The channel is of a Width to permit the lever 8 to be folded thereintoor to merely permit the end of the lever 8 to be seated therein for anovel fulcrun and cam action, produced when the lever 12 is closed.Slid- 50 able on the lever 12 is a retainer block 15 which is preventedagainst endwise displacement by the stop 1 1. This is provided with anopening 16, forming a guide Which is slidable on the lever 12 and isprovided with a similar opening 17, Which constitutes a keeper and whichis slidable on the lever 8, as shown in Figure 3. As before indicatedthe crossed portion of the jaw end of the levers 5 and 8 are providedwith longitudinal arcuate slots 18, and 19, respectively. These aredisposed in intersecting relation and formed along opposite edges withcomplenental keeper seats. These seats are formed by providinglongitudinally spaced notches. The notches of the slots 18 aredistinguished by the reference character 20 and the complemental notchesof the slot 19 by the reference character 21. The reference numerals 22denote fiat retaining springs Which are disposed centrally in the slotsand suitably anchored at their opposite ends. These springs serve tohold the shank portion of the pivot bolt in place. This pivot bolt isprovided on one end With an enlarged head 23, which covers thecomplemental slot as shown in Figure 1. X V

On the opposite end -is the retaining nut (not shown).

The purpose of this slotted pivotal arrange ment is to permit the pinsto be adjusted into corresponding notches 20 and 21 to increase ordecrease the spread of the jaws 6 and 7. Thus the jaws are permitted tohave a wide range of adjustment.. The feature of this arrangement isthat the spring permits the adjustment of the pivot pin to' be quicklymade and yet retains the pin i' its respective keeper seat to insure anons'lipping pivotal joint.

The feature which Idesire to emphasize in particular is the multipliedleverage structure which is produced by the presence of the third lever12 cooperating with the relatively short lever 8 and pivotally connectedwith the longer lever 9. Obviously, by engaging the jaws with the objectto be turned and placing' the end of the lever 8 in the channel, thenpressing on the lever 12, a cam action is produced, whereby to force thelever 8 toward lever 9 by the closing action of the supplemental lever.4

It is obvious too, that the sliding retaining block 15 is advantageousin that it may be slid on the levers 8 and 12 respectively to hold theselevers in set position whereby to permit the tool to be employed in thenature of a wrench. It is thought that by considering the description inconjunction with the' drawings, a clear understanding of theconstruction, operation, and features and advantages of the improvedtool will be had.

Therefore a more lengthy description is deemed unnecessary. Minorchanges in the shape, size and rearrangement of details coining withinthe field of invention claimed may be resorted to, in actual practice,if desired.

I claim:

1. In a tool of the class described, a pair of crossed pivotallyconnected levers provided at their outer ends with object gripping jaws,and a third lever pivotally connected with the handle end of one leverand cooperable with the corresponding end of the remaining lever topermit the last named lever to be forced mechanically toward the firstnamed lever, together with a slidable locking device carried by saidthird lever and cooperable with the adjacent lever of said pair oflevers.

2. In a tool of theclass described, a pair of crossed pivotallyconnected levers provided at their outer ends with work engaging jaws,one lever being comparatively long and having its handle end curved andterminating in an attaching ear, the second lever being comparativelyshort, a third lever pivotally connected to said attaching ear, saidthird lever being of channel shaped cross section with its open sidedisposed toward the second named lever to permit theadjacent end of thesecond named lever to be disposed therein, whereby to permit the secondnamed lever and third lever to be moved toward the first lever.

3. In a tool of the class described, a pair of crossed pivotallyconnected levers provided at their outer ends with work engaging jaws,one lever being comparatively long having its handle end curved andterminating in an attachin ear, the second lever being comparatively sort, a third lever pivotall connected to said attaching ear, sad thirlever being of channel shaped cross section with its open side disposedtoward the second named lever to permit the adjacent end of the secondnamed lever to be disposed therein, whereby to permit the second namedlever and third lever to be moved toward the first lever and a retainingblock slidable on the third lever and having an opening formed thereinfor passage of the second lever.

4. In a tool of the class described, a pair of main levers disposed incrossed relation and having their' outer ends formed withfwork j 'fengaging jaws, the crossed portions ofsaid levers being provided withlongitudinally disposed slots disposed in intersecting rel ar tion, theopposite edges of said slots :being formed with longitudinally spacednotches' constituting keeper seats, a fiat retaining spring arrangedcentrally in each slot cooperable with the seat, and a pivot boltpassing through the slot and maintained in the seats through the mediumof said springs whereby V to permit the spread of said jaws tobei-egulated.

5. In a tool of the class described, apair' of nain levers disposed incrossed relation and having their outer ends formed witl work engagingjaws, the crossed portions of said levers being provided wthlongitudinaL ly disposed slots disposed in intersecting related, and asupplemental lever pivotallyv connected to the handle end of one Of'Saldmain levers and cooperable with the 'corresponding end of the remainingmain lever' to provide a mechanical closing action of said man lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my *Signature WILLIAM A. :PETERSON:

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